Ryan Watts (American football)

Ryan Watts (born November 7, 2001) is an American football cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He previously played at Ohio State and the University of Texas.

Early life
Watts hometown is Little Elm, Texas, and he attended Little Elm High School. Watts was ranked as the number 29 cornerback and number 341 overall prospect in the country by 247Sports. Watts committed to play college football at the Ohio State.

Ohio State
As a freshman in 2020, Watts recorded five tackles in three games. In week five of the 2021 season, he recorded his first career interception in a win over Rutgers. In the following week, Watts would record another interception, as he helped the Buckeyes beat Maryland. He finished the 2021 season with six tackles and two interceptions. After the conclusion of the 2021 season, Watts decided to enter the transfer portal.

Texas
Watts transferred to Texas to continue his college career. In week eight of the 2022 season, he recorded his first interception as a Longhorn, but Texas lost to Oklahoma State. Watts finished the 2022 season with 51 tackles with four going for a loss, a sack, three pass deflections, and an interception. For his performance, he was named an all-Big 12 honorable mention.

Professional career
Watts was selected with the 195th overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.